Electric switch



A ril 25, 1933. J. J. DANTE 1,905,312

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l 9 f 42 $16.1 Ma I 6gala INVENTOR uibsqyub'pl 1701226 ATTORNEY April 25, 1933. J. J. DANTEELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m T N E V N Josep/zJ Dante ATTORNEY April 25, 1933. J- J DAN-[E 1,905,812

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEPatented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT Fries JOSEPH: J. DAN TE, OFBAN TAM, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHN E. COOK ESTATE; INCORPORATED,OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC SWITCHApplication filed October 12, 1928. Serial No. 312,091.

This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly to anenclosed type of switch having a floating movable contact, and

which will be capable of transmitting very high currents without arcing.

One object of this invention is to provide an enclosed switch of theabove nature comprising a plurality of switch units housed in the sameswitch box, each of said units being mounted on a separate blockfastened to the base of the switch box, and all of said units beingcontrolled by a single shaft operated by a common handle.

A further object is to provide a device of this nature which will besimple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install andmanipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efficient anddurable in use.

With these and other objects in view there has been illustrated on theaccompanying drawings one form in which the invention may beconveniently embodied in practice.

Fig. 1 represents a front view of the switch as it appears whenassembled in a switch box, the cover of said box being shown in openposition,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the switch box with the cover shown in closedposition, and with the operating handle located in its lower or offposition.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the same, showing the handle in itsupper or on position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, upon an enlarged scale, of the quick makeand break mechanism, shown with the handle in the off position.

Fig. 5 is a view of the same with the handle in the neutral position,just prior to the opening of the switch.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Figs. 4 and 5, the handle being in its upperposition, with the switch closed.

Fig. 7 is a side sectional view of one of the switch blocks as itappears when the retaining side plate has been removed, said blockhaving means for receiving a fuse of the cartridge type.

Fig. 8 is an end sectional view of the same taken along the line 88 ofFig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a side View similar to Fig. 7 of an assembled switch blockhaving a modified form of fuse holder for receiving a fuse of the screwplug type.

Thepresent invention has been designed with theobject of producing aninexpensive type of mechanical switch capable of carrying very highcurrents which previously could be accomplished only by the use ofexpensive types of oil switches.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10indicates a switch boxof rec tangular shape having a cover 11 hingedthereto. Attached to the base 12 of the switch box 10 are a pair ofstrips 13 and 14 for supporting a plurality of switch blocks 15, two inthis instance, said blocks being secured at right angles to said strips,as by screws 16 and 17, and said strips being attached to said base 12,as by screws 18 and 19, respectively.

Each of the switch blocks 15 comprises a body member 20' of suitableinsulating material, and having a circular recess 21 formed therein forloosely receiving a pair of float mg complementary rotary discs 22 and23 of insulating material, said discs having central bosses 24 and 25for fitting in circular apertures 26 formed in .said body member 20, anda similar aperture 27 formed in a retaining side insulation plate 28attached to said body member 20, as by screws 29.

The upper halves of the two complementary discs 22 and 23 are providedwith a pair of opposed semi-circular recesses forming a channel 29a toreceive a loosely mounted current-carrying member comprising aninsulated flexible electrical conductor 30 and a pair of cylindricalmetal plugs 31 and 32 connected to the ends of said conductor 80. Thecomplementary discs 22 and 23 are provided with central alineclapertures 33 and 34 for receiving a square operating metal rod 35, saidrod 35 being insulated from said discs as by a square tubular member 36of any suit- I able insulating material.

By means of this invention it will be seen that a very safe switchconstruction has been provided, for it will be impossible for thecurrent to escape from the conducting elements of the switch unlessexcessively high voltages are employed.

The metal plugs 31 and 32 are adapted to be held in resilient engagementwith a pair of fixed contacts 37 and 38, as by helical fixed contactmember 38 passes vertically out through the top of the body member 20where it is bent laterally at 42 and secured, as by 'a screw 43, to aU-shaped resilient clip 44 for receiving one end of a cartridge fuse 45.The other end of the cartridge fuse 45 is resiliently received by a clip46 similar'to the clip 44 and connected, as by a screw 47 to ahorizontal strip 48 joined to the terminal 49 of the other lineconductor 50.

In order to manually operate both of the switches contained in theswitch box simultaneously, provision is made of a switch operating disc51 which, as most clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, is journaled on acollar 52 in alinement with the squared shaft 35,

said disc being located just inside the front wall 53 of the switch box10. The operating disc 51 has a pair of inwardly extend ng pins 54 and55, the pin 54 being adapted to extend outwardly through the front wall53 of the switch box and bein adapted to travel in a circular slot 56 insaid wall. A handle lever 57 has its inner end pivotally fitted on thecollar 52 and on its outer end has a handle knob 58, said handle lever57 being provided ith an arcuate slot 59 fitting over said pin 54. Theoperating arm 57 is prevented from being swung beyond the verticalposition shown in Fig. 2 by an angular stop plate 60 secured to thefront wall 53 of the switch Operation I In operation, assuming theswitch to be in the on position shown in Fig. 6, when the handle lever57 is turned in a c ockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, theupper or counterclockwise direction whereupon the pin 54 will come intoengagement with the radial pin 62 and return the squared operating rod35 and the floating movable contacts 31 and 32 associated therewith tothe on position. 1

In order to minimize the arcing which al:

ways occurs at the making and breaking of any sw1tch,prov1s1on is madeof a quick makeand-break mechanism associated with the operating disc51. This mechanism consists of a rod 63 having a flange 64 at its lowerend, the upper end of said rod 63 extending through an upstandingswiveled angle member 65, in which it is free to slide. Beyond theflange 64 the rod 63 is provided with a pair of offset sections 66having recesses 67 located out of alinement with the axis of the rod 63,said recesses being adapted to seat upon the pin 55 previouslydescribed. A

helical spring 68 is mounted on the rod 63 between the angle member 65and the flange 64, and said spring serves to maintain a constantpressure upon the pin 55.

In operation, when the switch is being opened, the pin 55 of theactuating disc 51 will compress the spring 68 to the neutral positionshown in Fig. 5, and further rotation of the handle lever 57 beyond thisneutral position will cause the movable contacts to move rapidly to theoff position shown in Fig. 4, thereby reducing the arcing period of theswitch contact to the minimum. In closing the switch, the operation willbe the reverse of that just described.

One important feature of the construction is the offsetting of therecesses 67 from the line of action of the spring 68. This prevents thequick make-and-break mechanism from ever becoming deadlocked.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 9 the constructionof switch is identical with that shown in the previous figures with theexception that the parts upon the top of the block 15 are modified toreceive a screw plug type of fuse 70.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in whichthe invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isshown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. Inshort, the invention includes all the modifications and embodimentscoming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a two-part hollowrotary member, a. detachable floating conductor element located withinsaid member and having exposed resilient terminals extending outside theperiphery of said member, a pair of fixed contacts on opposite sides ofsaid movable contact for engagement by said terminals, an operatingshaft extending through the interior of said member, between saidterminals and means for connecting said fixed contacts to a source ofcurrent.

2. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a two-part hollowrotary member, a detachable floating conductor element located withinsaid member and having exposed terminals extending outside the peripheryof said member, a pair of fixed contacts on opposite sides of saidmovable contact for engagement by said terminals, and means forconnecting said fixed contacts to a source of current, said floatingconductor comprising a flexible intermediate wire having a depressibleoutwardly-pressed metal plug on each end.

3. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a two-part hollowrotary member, a detachable floating conductor element located withinsaid member and having exposed terminals extending outside the peripheryof said member, a pair of fixed contacts on opposite sides of saidmovable con-' tact for engagement by said terminals, and means forconnecting said fixed contacts to a source of current, said floatingconductor comprising a flexible intermediate wire having a cylindricaldepressible outwardlypressed metal plug on each end.

4. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a hollow rotarymember formed in two complementary halves, a floating conductor elementlocated within said member and detachable therefrom and having exposedinwardly depressible terminals extending outside the periphery of saidmember, a pair of concave fixed contacts on opposite sides of saidmovable contact for engagement by said terminals, an operating shaftextending through the interior of said member, between said terminalsand means for connecting said fixed contacts to a source of current.

5. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a hollow rotarymember, a floating conductor element located within said member andhaving spring-pressed inwardly depressible exposed terminals extendingoutside the periphery of said member, a pair of fixed contacts onopposite sides of said movable contact for engagement by said terminals,an operating shaft passing through the center of said rotary member,between said terminals and means for connecting said fixed contacts to asource of current.

6. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a hollow rotarycylindrical insulating member, a floating conductor located within saidmember and having outwardly pressed inwardly depressible terminals, acasing for enclosing said member, and having a pair of oppositelyarranged fixed contacts located in alinement with the path of saidterminals, an operating shaft passing through the center of said rotarymember, between said terminals and m'eans'for connecting said fixedcontacts to a source of current.

7. In an enclosed switch, a movable con- 7 tact comprising a hollowsplit rotary cylindrical member, a floating conductor located withinsaid member and having outwardly pressed inwardly depressible terminalblocks, a casin g for enclosing said member and having a pair ofoppositely arranged fixed contacts located in alinement with the path ofsaid terminals, an operating shaft passing through the center of saidrotary member, between said terminals and means for cone necting saidfixed contacts to a source of current.

8. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a two-part hollowinsulating rotary. member, a detachable floating conductor elementlocated within said member and having exposed terminals extendingoutside the periphery of said member, a pair of fixed contacts onopposite sides of said movable contact for engagement by said terminals,means for connecting said fixed contacts to a source of current, and ahandle-operated shaft nonrotatively connected with said rotary memberand completely surrounded by said rotary member and located between saidterminals.

9. In an enclosed switch, a movable contact comprising a hollowinsulating rotary member, a loose floating conductor element locatedwithin said member unconnected therewith and having exposed inwardlymovable terminals extending outside the periphery of said member, a pairof fixed contacts on opposite sides of said movable contact forengagement by said terminals, means for connecting said fixed contactsto a source of current, an operating shaft completely surrounded by saidrotary member, and located between said terminals and a box for encasingsaid switch.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

JOSEPH J. DANTE.

inwardly movable

